Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, along with officials from eight other states, sent a letter Tuesday to the expected next Homeland Security leader requesting confirmation that federal immigration agents won’t have a presence at polls during midterm elections.
“That we even have to ask for written assurances that the federal government won’t deploy armed agents to the polls is a sad and frightening sign of the times we’re in,” Bellows said in a written statement. “The Constitution and laws could not be more clear that armed federal agents are prohibited in polling places, but then it would also not be the first unlawful attempt by the administration to interfere with the states’ rights and ability to administer elections.”
The brief letter addressed to Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Markwayne Mullin notes previous instances where officials in President Donald Trump’s administration have made assurances that federal agents won’t be deployed to polling sites.
Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who Trump removed from her post on March 5, said on March 3 when appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, “There are no plans to have ICE officers at our polling locations.” Earlier, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elections Integrity in the Office of Strategy Heather Honey said that “any mention of ICE at a polling location is simply misinformation. ICE will not be at any polling location during this election cycle,” during a Feb. 25 briefing for state election officials.
“We have heard concerns from many of our constituents about potential voter intimidation that would arise from an armed law enforcement presence at polling locations,” the secretaries wrote in the letter. “As such, we believe it is in the public interest to have a clear understanding of this policy from your office.”
If confirmed, Mullin’s tenure would begin on March 31. The secretaries requested a response by April 8.
In addition to Bellows, the secretaries of state from Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington signed the letter.
This article was originally published by Maine Morning Star: Read the original HERE.
Emma Davis
Emma Davis is a reporter based in Portland, Maine, where she focuses on government accountability.
